County native David Hochberg is known to some as the son of catalog mogul Lillian Vernon, to others as an established artists’ agent. But to many, Hochberg, who splits his time between Katonah and Manhattan, is known for his near-ubiquitous presence at County soirées, galas, celebrations, and happenings of all kinds.
Q: How many nights a week do you go out?
A: About six. I go to receptions, openings, dinners with friends, benefits—you name it.
Q: Do you go to these events for networking or fun?
A: Both. It is good for what I do, but I also enjoy it.
Q: What do you do on your weekly night off?
A: It’s the one night a week that I eat healthy and don’t drink alcohol. It’s my cleanse night to relax and chill. I never watch television. I am a voracious reader.
Q: If you hadn’t grown up in the Lillian Vernon family, how do you think your life would be different?
A: I probably would have been a journalist. That was my first and foremost love.
Q: Have you ever forgotten what event you were at?
A: I don’t go to parties just for the sake of going out. Because I go to so many, I am very picky. I am all about the new experience. I won’t go back to the same place again and again.
Q: Strangest party themes or locations?
A: They don’t anymore, but ArtsWestchester used to move their annual gala every year. One year, it was in a bus depot; another, it was in an airplane hangar! I loved that, because it was so fun. Otherwise it gets boring.
Q: Whom do you bring to all of these affairs?
A: I learned the hard way that a lot of times when you bring a guest, you have to worry about babysitting them. I find it a lot easier to socialize and meet new people when I go alone.
Q: What’s the strangest or most embarrassing thing you’ve witnessed at a party?
A: I find it strange to see people totally ignoring the dress [code]. Some show up in a tux…others wear a t-shirt.
Q: Do you consider yourself an A-lister?
A: Certainly not, nor have I ever aspired to be one—but it’s nice to have a mother, brother, and friends who are!
